Live aurora forecast

Northern lights in Bergen tonight

Western Norway · 60° magnetic latitude · Kp 3–4 threshold

Aurora visibility · Bergen
1/9
Unlikely tonight

Kp 1 is well below the Kp 3–4 threshold needed for aurora to be visible from Bergen.

QuietStormExtreme
Threshold
Kp 3–4
Magnetic latitude
~60°N
Bz ↓ south
- nT
Solar wind
- km/s
Density
- p/cm³
Cloud
-
Conditions right now: - Kp + Bz + solar wind + cloud + moon

Updated: 24 Jun, 14:42 UTC

7-day outlook for Bergen

Today
24 Jun
1
Quiet
Tomorrow
25 Jun
3
Possible
Fri
26 Jun
3
Possible
Sat
27 Jun
3
Possible
Sun
28 Jun
3
Possible
Mon
29 Jun
3
Possible
Tue
30 Jun
3
Possible

Based on CME arrival predictions from NASA DONKI. Arrival times ±6 hours.

auroratonight.space

What Kp is needed here?

Bergen sits at a magnetic latitude of approximately 60°N. The Kp index - a global measure of geomagnetic activity on a scale from 0 (quiet) to 9 (extreme storm), updated every 3 hours - needs to reach Kp 3–4 before the auroral oval expands far enough south to be visible from here.

At Kp 3–4, visibility is possible from Bergen but skies need to be clear and dark. Cloud cover and light pollution remain the main obstacles even when Kp is high enough.

Plan your viewing

Best dark sky sites near Bergen

Light pollution is the biggest obstacle after cloud cover. These sites give you the best dark northern horizon within reach.

Fløyen and Ulriken mountain summits

Get directions ↗
Bortle Class 5-6 - Suburban sky 3 km from Bergen - approximately 15 minute funicular and walk

The two summits above Bergen reached by funicular (Fløibanen) or cable car give clear sky in all directions above the fjord. At 320 m (Fløyen) and 643 m (Ulriken) they are above valley cloud on many nights. Dark north-facing sky opens up once away from the summit lighting.

Hardangerfjord - Norheimsund and Eidfjord

Get directions ↗
Bortle Class 2-3 - Excellent dark sky 90 km from Bergen - approximately 90 minute drive

An hour east of Bergen by road, the inner Hardangerfjord arms give north-facing fjord views with minimal light pollution. The road above Eidfjord gives elevated positions over the glacier area at Kp 3-4 threshold.

Voss and surrounding mountains

Get directions ↗
Bortle Class 3 - Rural sky, good dark sky 100 km from Bergen - approximately 90 minute drive

The mountain skiing town of Voss, 90 minutes east of Bergen on the E16, gives access to high-altitude positions above the valley. The lake at Vangsvatnet gives a dark north-facing horizon with the Voss mountains behind blocking city glow.

When to go

Best time to see the northern lights in Bergen

Bergen's aurora season runs from late September through to March, when nights are long enough for truly dark skies. The equinox months, September and March, bring a natural boost in geomagnetic activity, making them statistically the best of the season. Summer months bring too much twilight for aurora to be visible at this latitude.

Activity peaks around the September and March equinoxes, when Earth's magnetic field geometry is most favourable for coupling with the solar wind. Events during these two windows tend to produce the strongest displays of the year for observers at Bergen's latitude.

April through August brings persistent astronomical twilight that washes out aurora completely. Even strong events (Kp 6+) remain invisible during this period because the sky never gets dark enough.

Up to 8 locations

Bergen

Norway

Unlikely
Kp 1 need Kp 3-4
Checking darkness…
Oslo

Norway

Unlikely
Kp 1 need Kp 4-5
Checking darkness…
Tromsø

Norway

Possible
Kp 1 need Kp 1-2
Checking darkness…
The odds

How often does the aurora appear in Bergen?

Average nights per month the Kp reached Bergen's threshold of 3+, from 15 years of geomagnetic data (2010–2024).

10.2Jan
11.2Feb
13.6Mar
8.8Apr
0May
0Jun
0Jul
4.3Aug
13.2Sep
12.8Oct
10.3Nov
9.3Dec

Counts the Kp 3+ threshold only - cloud cover and local darkness are not included.
Kp data: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, CC BY 4.0

Make it happen

Plan your trip to Bergen

Based on 15 years of geomagnetic data (2010–2024)

1st
March
13.6
avg aurora nights
Stay 3+ nights for 80% chance
2nd
September
13.2
avg aurora nights
Stay 3+ nights for 80% chance
3rd
October
12.8
avg aurora nights
Stay 4+ nights for 80% chance

Best window

The September to November window averages 36 aurora nights - the strongest consecutive stretch of the year.

How long to stay

For your best chance in March, plan at least 3 nights.

From the community

Aurora photographs from Bergen

Real photos sourced from Wikimedia Commons.

Aurora over Bergen Aurora over Bergen
Aurora over Bergen Aurora over Bergen
Aurora over Bergen Aurora over Bergen
Aurora over Bergen Aurora over Bergen
Aurora over Bergen Aurora over Bergen
Aurora over Bergen Aurora over Bergen
Questions

Common questions about aurora in Bergen

Can you see the northern lights from Bergen?
During moderate geomagnetic events (Kp 3-4) aurora can be seen from the mountains above Bergen, particularly from Fløyen or Ulriken on a clear night. Bergen itself is a wet city with frequent cloud cover - the main obstacle is weather rather than latitude. In autumn (September-October) the statistical chance of a clear night is higher than in December-January.
What Kp is needed for aurora near Bergen?
Kp 3-4 from elevated dark sky positions such as Fløyen or the Hardangerfjord area. Bergen sits at ~60°N magnetic latitude - the same band as Orkney and the north of Scotland. This is meaningfully lower than Norway's far north but high enough for regular aurora during moderate storms.
Is Bergen a good base for northern lights in Norway?
Bergen is better as a gateway to Sognefjord and Hardangerfjord experiences than as an aurora destination in itself. For serious aurora watching, flying from Bergen to Tromsø or Bodø (Lofoten gateway) makes sense. That said, on a clear Kp 3-4 night, the aurora visible from Fløyen above the city is genuine and striking.
Why is Bergen so cloudy?
Bergen is one of the cloudiest cities in Europe due to its position at the foot of a mountain range facing the North Atlantic. Warm, moist Atlantic air is forced upward over the Scandinavian mountains, dropping rain and cloud over Bergen (averaging 240 rain days per year). The best aurora chances come during stable high-pressure systems, which are more common in October and March than mid-winter.
When is aurora season in Bergen?
Technically September to April, but October and March give the best combination of meaningful darkness and reasonable clear-sky probability. Mid-winter (December-January) has the most darkness but Bergen is particularly cloudy then. During any high-pressure spell, check the aurora forecast - even a quiet Kp 3 on a rare clear December night can produce a memorable display from the Fløyen summit.
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